Instrument light



Oct. 18', 1925- 1,557.045

R. W. GRIFFITH ET AL INSTRUMENT LT GHT Filed Oct. 6. 1922 ZO wrrNEssEs ze I O p TORNEY located within the hood where they will not be seen and their location is such that they do not come in contact with the contact Springs, such Springs being curved around i them and spaced therefrom.

Centered somewhat below the center of the base is an opening 28 through the base and the insulating plate to constitute a socket to receive the base 29 of an electric lamp 30 and notches 31 in the edge of this opening through the base accommodate the diametricallyl opposite attaching lugs 32 of the' lamp base as the lamp base is inserted inl or removed from the socket 28, and embossed pockets 33 pressed in the sheet metal base in 4Vertical alignment receive said attach-V ing lugs when the lamp is turned through an arc of movement to its final position.

`The travel of the attaching lugs 32 from the notches 31 to the pockets 33ris permitted by arcshaped recesses 34 in the edge of theV opening of the insulating plate and the lamp is Vheld firmly in place with the attaching V'lugs V32 fitting in the pockets 33 by thelpressure of the contact spring or Springs 21 bearing against its terminal or terminals 34/. If desired, the metal which is cut to form the notches 31, may be left bent down from one edge of said notches to form stops 35 to prevent the turning of the lamp in the wrong dire'ction when it is being attached and to limit the turn of the lamp when itis being removed.)

In attaching the instrument light wiring r connection is made with the binding post or "thu's having a great advantageover structures of the tubular socket type.

'The lamp being positioned below the center of the hood, serves to throw the light through the partly or fully opened orifice to the full width of the instrument board or from one door of the automobile to the other and, by closing the shutter more or less,-the light may be modified to suit the requirements. The shape of thev hood and of the i shutter enables them to serve as reflectors' for strengthening the illumination. If no light; is desired at times when the lamp is, burning, as when the instrument light is in series with the tail light, theV shutter or i I shield may be completely closed` f It will be seen that the instrument light of this invention is inexpensively constructed of sheet metal stampings and a fiber punching with ordinary rivets, nuts and screws, and is readily assembled without requiring skilled labor and still it is strongly constructed and amply protected against short circuits or wear that would cause it to get out of order.

It Will be further noted that, as the hood i' is separable from the base, the latter may be readily nickel-plated, while the former is given a dull black finish to harmonize with the instruments on the instrument panel.

The avoidance of the use of a tubular socket to receive the lamp base efiects an important economy in construction without sacrificing the strength or efliciency of the device. Furthermore it permits of the structure being more condensed with a corresponding improvement in the appearance.

In practice the change from the manufacture of the base for the single Wire circuit, shown in Fig. 3, to the base for the double Wire circuit, shown in Fig. 4, is efected'by merely clipping the ends of the contact Springs and the added spring is from the same die as the other, the nut pocket and the bend of the pring being reversed.

What we claim as new 'and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. An instrument ,light comprising a horizontally elongated oval-shaped base, a lamp mounted thereon, a correspondingly shaped rounded fronthood mounted on theV base and enclosing the lamp and provided with a sector-shaped opening in its lower front portion, and a convex shutter pivotally mounted at its ends within the hood and in one position adapted to completely close the opening of the hood and to supplement the rounded front end of the hood.

2. An instrument` light comprising a hori- I zontally elongated `oval-shaped base of tapering depth to fit approximately vertically on an inclined instrumentboard and provided with a similarlyf shaped shouldered projection, a lamp mounted in said projection, a horizontally elongatedloval-shaped rounded front hood removably' fitting oniv said projection and provided at its lower front rounded portion with a sector-shapedA opening, a conveX shutter pivotally mounted at its ends in the hood so as to swing on a horizontal axis and close more or less the opening of the hood land in doing so conforming with the rounded contour of the hood. i

3. An instrument light comprising a horizontally elongated oval-shaped base provided with a similarly shaped shouldered projection, a lamp mounted in said projection, a horizontally elongated oval-shaped rounded front hood removably fitting on said'projection and provided at` its lower front rounded portion with a sector-shaped opening, a convex shutter pivotally mounted at its ends in the hood so as to swing on a horizontal axis and close moreor less the opening of the hood `and in doing so conforming with the rounded contour of the hood.

4. An instrument light comprising an elongated oval-shaped base provided with a similarly shaped projection, a lamp mounted on said projeotion, an elongated oval-shaped rounded front hood removably fittng on said projection and provided at its lower front i'ounded portion With a sector-shaped opening, a convex shutter pivotally mounted at its ends in the hood so as to swing on its longitudnal axis and close more or less of 10 the opening of the hood and in doing so conforming with the rounded Contour of the hood;

In testimony Whei'eof we afix our signatures.

RAYMOND W. GRIFFITI-I. SAMUEL N. HOPE. 

